The Fresco of Mars
On one wall of a small building in the underhive of Mars, there rests a giant fresco. While time has not been kind to it, it stands as a testament to its craftsmanship. Dust and blood cover it, and more than one animal has attempted to dig through it. But yet it is still able to be seen.
At the beginning of the fresco, a large amount of ships are seen landing on Mars. The planet is lifeless, but the colonists do not seem to mind. Just a bit further a large number of boxes are seen being dropped unto the planet. And then something happens, the planet is seen lush with life. Green grass and trees surround a few small settlements.
The next part of the fresco shows a much larger group of ships landing on Mars. These men are well dressed, and do not wear the spacesuits that the original colonists wore. They are well dressed, with suits and top-hats. Some of them look upon the planet with a gleam in their eyes, but others look upon the Earth and Luna with loathing in their eyes. Either way, it would appear that this would not be the first group to come to Mars, and most certainly not the last.
The part of the fresco following the last scene shows towers of steel and glass being constructed. There are even more ships up in the sky, and even more immigrants coming out. New ports are being constructed in the foreground to accommodate it all. Massive monorails are being constructed on top of the few completed buildings. The trees that were previously there are seen being cut down, only to be replaced by even more trees.
A nearby panel lies cast off on the floor, but it was clearly the next panel of the fresco. On it, a group of men are seen convening a meeting in a rather large chamber. The chamber is decorated in fine woods like cherry and mahogany, and a subtle hint of gold is present on the chambers desks. The men there appear to be content, with a few of them even smiling. A few statues stand behind them, the names are blurry and can't be made out however. But in the foreground, a man is seen walking into the chamber. He is dressed differently than them, and wears a massive hat. His clothing is deep red, and he walks around with a sense of purpose. His hat is a tri-cone, and he gives off the aura that he is someone that should be respected.
The panel that follows is still on the wall, and is in much better condition. This time, the chamber is seen in a state of chaos. Men and women are seen running across the chamber, papers are seen flying across the room. The man in the weird clothing is seen shouting, trying to bring about some semblance of order to the chamber. But it would appear that his words are falling upon deaf ears, as the chaos keeps going. In the foreground, the statues are seen crying tears of blood at the pandemonium in the room. A few men appear to be rather serene throughout the whole affair, their eyes betraying no emotion.
The last panel shows the same chamber, but now it is in a state of disrepair. Corpses dot the desks, and broken down husks of machinery dot the area. The statues are now destroyed, and from them comes a tide of blood like oil. The man's hat lies in the center of the room, with the decaying body of its owner strewn just a few inches from it. Men are seen hanging from the rafters, the decomposing state of their bodies indicates that they have been dead for some time.
The Fresco does not continue any further. The walls next to it are blank, almost as if it were inviting someone to continue it's story.
